Fuel-flexible thermal power generator for electric loads

Abstract

An apparatus and method configured to provide electric power from a thermal source. The apparatus may include a thermoelectric generator and a heat source. The apparatus may include a fuel source. The heat source may be combustive or non-combustive. The apparatus may also include a thermal battery. The heat source may be configured to combust a hydrocarbon fuel to generated heat. The apparatus may include one or more thermal diodes and/or a heat sink to remove waste heat. The method may include converting thermal energy into electrical energy using the apparatus. The method may also include powering a light or other electrical load using the apparatus. The present disclosure includes a method for manufacturing the apparatus.

1 - 38 . (canceled) 
     
     
         39 . An apparatus for generating electric power, the apparatus comprising:
 a thermoelectric generator, the thermoelectric generator having a hot side and a cold side; and   a non-combustive heat source in thermal communication with the hot side.   
     
     
         40 . The apparatus of  claim 39 , wherein the non-combustive heat source is configured to transmit heat from at least one of: i) an exothermic chemical reaction, ii) a thermophysical phase change, iii) an optothermal phase change, and iv) radioactive decay. 
     
     
         41 . The apparatus of  claim 39 , further comprising:
 a light absorbing layer disposed on the hot side of the thermoelectric generator and configured to convert light to heat; and   a light director configured to transmit light to the light absorbing layer.   
     
     
         42 . The apparatus of  claim 41 , wherein the light source comprises at least one of i) a reflector and ii) a lens. 
     
     
         43 . The apparatus of  claim 39 , further comprising:
 a thermal battery, wherein the thermal battery is in thermal communication with the non-combustive heat source and the hot side of the thermoelectric generator.   
     
     
         44 . The apparatus of  claim 43 , wherein the thermal battery is disposed between the non-combustive heat source and the hot side of the thermoelectric generator. 
     
     
         45 . The apparatus of  claim 43 , wherein the thermal battery comprises:
 an insulated housing; and   an energy storage material disposed within the insulated housing.   
     
     
         46 . The apparatus of  claim 45 , wherein the insulated housing comprises an aerogel insulating material. 
     
     
         47 . The apparatus of  claim 45 , wherein the energy storage material comprises at least one of a phase change material and a reversible exothermic hydration material. 
     
     
         48 . The apparatus of  claim 47 , wherein the phase change material comprises at least one of: i a molten salt, ii) a molten metal, iii) a molten metal alloy, iv) a molten metallic compound, and v) an ionic liquid. 
     
     
         49 . The apparatus of  claim 47 , wherein the reversible exothermic hydration material comprises an alkali metal oxide. 
     
     
         50 . The apparatus of  claim 39 , further comprising:
 an electric load in electrical communication with the thermoelectric generator   
     
     
         51 . The apparatus of  claim 50 , wherein the electric load comprises at least one of: i) an electric light and ii) an electric battery-operated device. 
     
     
         52 . The apparatus of  claim 39 , wherein the fuel source comprises a hydrocarbon fuel. 
     
     
         53 . The apparatus of  claim 39 , wherein the thermoelectric generator is a thin-film thermoelectric generator. 
     
     
         54 . The apparatus of  claim 39 , further comprising:
 a heat sink disposed on the cold side of the thermoelectric generator.   
     
     
         55 . The apparatus of  claim 39 , further comprising:
 a thermal diode disposed on the cold side of the thermoelectric generator; and   a heat sink disposed on the thermal diode.   
     
     
         56 . The apparatus of  claim 55 , wherein the thermal diode includes at least one of: i) a heat pipe and ii) a thermosyphon. 
     
     
         57 . The apparatus of  claim 55 , further comprising:
 an electric load in electrical communication with the thermoelectric generator; and   a thermal harrier disposed between the electric load and the heat sink.   
     
     
         58 . The apparatus of  claim 57 , wherein the thermal barrier comprises at least one of: i) a thermal reflector and ii) an insulation layer. 
     
     
         59 . The apparatus of  claim 39 , wherein the fuel source comprises at least one of: i) a fuel tank and ii) a fuel line. 
     
     
         60 . A method of generating electric power, the method comprising:
 generating electric power using an apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
 a thermoelectric generator, the thermoelectric generator having a hot side and a cold side; 
 a non-combustive heat source in thermal communication with the hot side of the thermoelectric generator. 
   
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 60 , wherein the step of generating electric power comprises:
 generating heat with the non-combustive heat source;   transmitting the heat to the hot side of the thermoelectric generator; and   converting the heat to electricity using the thermoelectric generator.   
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 61 , wherein the step of generating heat comprises at least one of:
 using heat from an exothermic chemical reaction;   using heat from a thermophysical phase change;   using heat from an optothermal phase change; and   using heat from radioactive decay.   
     
     
         63 . The method  claim 61 , wherein the step of transmitting the heat comprises:
 storing the heat from the non-combustive heat source in a thermal battery; and   conducting, the heat from the thermal battery to the hot side of the thermoelectric generator.   
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 60 , further comprising:
 powering an electric load with the generated electricity.   
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 64 , wherein the electric load comprises at least one of: i) an electric light and ii) an electric battery. 
     
     
         66 . The method of  claim 60 , further comprising:
 removing heat from the cold side of the thermoelectric generator.   
     
     
         67 . The method of  claim 66 , wherein the step of removing heat comprises:
 drawing heat away from the cold side using a heat sink in thermal communication with the cold side.   
     
     
         68 . The method of  claim 67 , wherein a thermal diode is disposed between the heat sink and the cold side. 
     
     
         69 . The method of  claim 67 , further comprising:
 shielding an electric load from heat at the heat sink, wherein the electric load is in electrical comma with the thermoelectric generator.   
     
     
         70 . The method of  claim 60 , wherein the apparatus further comprises:
 a light absorbing layer disposed on the hot side and configured to convert light to heat; and   the method further comprises:
 directing light energy to the Light absorbing layer. 
   
     
     
         71 .- 91 . (canceled)